Taking an Online Course

General Information

Online courses are conducted via the Internet on the Course Avenue and Slack platforms. Assignments are posted in the Slack platform where participants will post comments, respond to questions and interact with peers and instructors. Scheduled Review Sessions are weekly and live discussion and Q&A are available with the instructor. Participants should read the course manual online and access any other course materials on the site.

Please note: Participants can access the course website at any time of the day or night from any computer with an Internet connection; students may take the course from the location that is most convenient for them—at home or at work.

Time Requirements

The duration of courses is six weeks. You are responsible for completing the course work during the six-week period.  It is recommend that participants spend three to five hours each week reading assignments, completing course work, and participating in the discussion to get the most out of the course. We urge you to discuss your participation with your supervisor before you register to help ensure you can arrange your schedule to participate.

Admission, Registration, and Cancelations

Admission Policy

IL-NET T&TA courses are conducted for executives, managers, staffs, board members, and volunteers affiliated with centers for independent living and for members and staffs of statewide independent living councils. Some courses are targeted to centers or to SILCs. Class size is often limited. Occasionally, when courses are not filled by those affiliated with centers or SILCs, other applicants may be accepted, but only if their involvement supports independent living services and programs in states.

Course Fees

There is no charge for online courses. However, withdrawals must be received BEFORE the first day of the course. Registrations are non-transferable after the beginning of the course. Only a limited number of participants may be accepted for each course. Withdrawals prevent others from participating.

Other Requirements and Prerequisites

To participate in an IL-NET T&TA online course, you must have access to a computer with an Internet connection through a broadband or dial-up modem. (Broadband connection is preferable.) The Course Avenue platform used by the IL-NET T&TA is optimized for the latest versions of Internet browsers. You need to have basic computer skills -- you should know how to save files, download files from the Internet, and basic knowledge of an Internet browser, (Internet Explorer, Fire Fox or Google Chrome). You should be proficient with any specialized applications you use to make the computer accessible to you (such as screen reading software). If you already use email (such as Outlook), a word processor (such as Microsoft Word), and are able to navigate the Internet, you may find it easier to use the course platform.

Technical support staff are available to assist you with becoming familiar with Course Avenue and Slack; but you need an adequate level of knowledge of your computer, software, and any specialized applications that make the computer accessible to you. You should always use the most current version of your preferred browser. Your browser will notify you if there is a new version available.

Request for an Extension

If during an online course circumstances arise that make completing the course by the last day impossible, a participant may request an extension of the course end date from Dionne Rauseo at rauseo@bcm.edu. Requests for an extension to complete course work must be made prior to the last week of the course, and would be for one week from the official course end date.

Registration Assistance

For registration assistance, contact Dionne Rauseo at rauseo@bcm.edu.

Acceptance, Orientation, and Course Completion

Acceptance

You will be notified of your acceptance by email AFTER registration closes. Shortly thereafter, you will receive a second email message with information about how to sign on to the Course Avenue platform.

Web/Telephone Orientation

The week before each course begins; we will provide an orientation to the Course Avenue and Slack platforms. You can practice posting messages, responding to messages and post your profile to introduce yourself to other participants. You will learn the purpose of each of the sections of the Course Avenue and Slack platforms, and how to move between the different sections. This will help you to become familiar with the platform and resolve any technical issues before the course begins. If you are unable to attend the orientation, an on-demand orientation video will be available for you to review.

Completion Requirements and Course Certificates

Those who complete all requirements by the conclusion of the course will receive a certificate of completion. In general, participants must contribute to online discussions by posting their responses to the topics and questions presented by the instructor and commenting on the posts of other course participants, completing pre- and post-assessments, and completing a final course evaluation.